Eine Plattform für die Wissenschaft: Bauingenieurwesen, Architektur und Urbanistik
Eine Plattform für die Wissenschaft: Bauingenieurwesen, Architektur und Urbanistik
Virus Emissions from Toilet Flushing: Comparing Urine-Diverting to Mix Flush Toilets
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6723-9206
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9737-5292
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9184-2451
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6665-5112
High levels of viruses can be found in human excrement from infected individuals, a fraction of which can be emitted from toilet flushing. Unlike the common mix flush toilet (MFT), the urine-diverting toilet (UDT) separates urine from the toilet water. Specific focus on urine-associated viruses is needed because the UDT can emit different levels of urine-associated and fecal-borne viruses and urine has different properties compared to feces that can affect emission levels (e.g., protein content). In this work, we quantified emission levels of surrogate bacteriophages for urine-associated and fecal-borne viruses, MS2 and T3, from flushing a UDT and an MFT, with and without protein in the water. Emission levels of viruses in the water of the UDT were lower than that of the MFT by up to 1.2-log10 and 1.3-log10 for T3 and MS2, respectively. If urine is completely diverted in the UDT, virus emissions can be reduced by up to 4-log10. Based on these results and typical levels in urine and feces, we estimate that up to 107 and 108 gene copies of human viruses per flush can be released from the UDT and MFT, respectively. Lower emissions observed with the UDT suggest reduced exposure to viruses from flushing the UDT.
This work quantifies virus emissions from flushing for a urine-diverting and a mix flush toilet, with and without protein in the water, and two viruses to yield emission data that can be used to quantify the risk of infection from toilet flushing.
Virus Emissions from Toilet Flushing: Comparing Urine-Diverting to Mix Flush Toilets
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6723-9206
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9737-5292
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9184-2451
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6665-5112
High levels of viruses can be found in human excrement from infected individuals, a fraction of which can be emitted from toilet flushing. Unlike the common mix flush toilet (MFT), the urine-diverting toilet (UDT) separates urine from the toilet water. Specific focus on urine-associated viruses is needed because the UDT can emit different levels of urine-associated and fecal-borne viruses and urine has different properties compared to feces that can affect emission levels (e.g., protein content). In this work, we quantified emission levels of surrogate bacteriophages for urine-associated and fecal-borne viruses, MS2 and T3, from flushing a UDT and an MFT, with and without protein in the water. Emission levels of viruses in the water of the UDT were lower than that of the MFT by up to 1.2-log10 and 1.3-log10 for T3 and MS2, respectively. If urine is completely diverted in the UDT, virus emissions can be reduced by up to 4-log10. Based on these results and typical levels in urine and feces, we estimate that up to 107 and 108 gene copies of human viruses per flush can be released from the UDT and MFT, respectively. Lower emissions observed with the UDT suggest reduced exposure to viruses from flushing the UDT.
This work quantifies virus emissions from flushing for a urine-diverting and a mix flush toilet, with and without protein in the water, and two viruses to yield emission data that can be used to quantify the risk of infection from toilet flushing.
Virus Emissions from Toilet Flushing: Comparing Urine-Diverting to Mix Flush Toilets
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6723-9206
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9737-5292
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9184-2451
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6665-5112
High levels of viruses can be found in human excrement from infected individuals, a fraction of which can be emitted from toilet flushing. Unlike the common mix flush toilet (MFT), the urine-diverting toilet (UDT) separates urine from the toilet water. Specific focus on urine-associated viruses is needed because the UDT can emit different levels of urine-associated and fecal-borne viruses and urine has different properties compared to feces that can affect emission levels (e.g., protein content). In this work, we quantified emission levels of surrogate bacteriophages for urine-associated and fecal-borne viruses, MS2 and T3, from flushing a UDT and an MFT, with and without protein in the water. Emission levels of viruses in the water of the UDT were lower than that of the MFT by up to 1.2-log10 and 1.3-log10 for T3 and MS2, respectively. If urine is completely diverted in the UDT, virus emissions can be reduced by up to 4-log10. Based on these results and typical levels in urine and feces, we estimate that up to 107 and 108 gene copies of human viruses per flush can be released from the UDT and MFT, respectively. Lower emissions observed with the UDT suggest reduced exposure to viruses from flushing the UDT.
This work quantifies virus emissions from flushing for a urine-diverting and a mix flush toilet, with and without protein in the water, and two viruses to yield emission data that can be used to quantify the risk of infection from toilet flushing.
Virus Emissions from Toilet Flushing: Comparing Urine-Diverting to Mix Flush Toilets
Li, Lucinda (Autor:in) / Cai, Jinyi (Autor:in) / Eisenberg, Joseph N. S. (Autor:in) / Goetsch, Heather E. (Autor:in) / Love, Nancy G. (Autor:in) / Wigginton, Krista R. (Autor:in)
ACS ES&T Water ; 3 ; 457-464
10.02.2023
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Elektronische Ressource
Unbekannt
| Europäisches Patentamt | 2024
| Europäisches Patentamt | 2024